ONLY a miracle, or perhaps an appeal to UEFA led by a Manchester United director, can stop Liverpool playing in the Champions League group stages now.

ONLY a miracle, or perhaps an appeal to UEFA led by a Manchester United director, can stop Liverpool playing in the Champions League group stages now.

The Reds could field an ineligible player in the second leg at Anfield and still win.

Gerard Houllier was insistent before this game that, contrary to opinion, Liverpool hadn't yet qualified for the Champions League.

They have now.

A performance of class, efficiency and professionalism made it certain. That wasn't the only reason to celebrate last night. The sight of Michael Owen in such clinical mood will make the Premiership sit up and worry.

Owen scored three, but he could have had six. Since the second leg is likely to be a night of target practice, he might get that many in a fortnight.

Hes started the season in the same manner he ended it. Pace, sharpness and, despite one or two near misses, his finishing was top notch too.

FC Haka might be wishing Israelis Maccabi Haifa weren't so generous now. Liverpool on the other hand can offer the hand of thanks to Walid Badir, the man whose suspension made this game possible. By the closing stages, Liverpool looked like theyd score with every attack. The poor Finns were craving the final whistle.

Whatever was said before kick-off about this being a potential banana skin, Houllier must have been delighted when he realised FC Haka was the only obstacle in the way of progression. A trip to Helsinki was infinitely more inviting than a five-hour flight to Tel Aviv.

Liverpool couldn t have handpicked a more favourable tie to ensure they qualify for the group stages. The fact Ajax had to play Celtic was evidence enough of that. That said, this was a no-win situation for Houlliers side. They were expected to earn victory comfortably, which they did. Failure simply wasn t an option. Success was worth #12m and the enhancement of the clubs reputation, which is more important than the cash.

It took 33 dominant minutes for Liverpool to settle any nerves and take the lead. For all the possession the Reds enjoyed, a frustrating offside trap was being well executed by Haka and at times play seemed congested in the middle of the park.

Until the opening goal, Owen had looked most likely to break the deadlock, but twice his right footed shots lacked the necessarily venom to trouble goalkeeper Andras Vilnrotter.

After so much probing through the centre of the Haka defence, it was ironic Emile Heskey's opener came courtesy of some classic wing play by Steven Gerrard.

The midfielder produced the only decent cross of the first half, an absolute beauty, and Heskey powered a header into the roof of the net. A fine goal to kick the season off.

In the 12 minutes before half time, the tie should have been buried. Owen was denied by the goalkeeper's legs when clean through. Litmanen, playing in an adventurous midfield role, saw a right footed drive held and some last ditch tackling prevented both Liverpool strikers doubling the lead.

Haka offered little in response and Pegguy Arphexad, who appears to have ditched his trademark tracksuit bottoms these days, was a spectator.

Although Liverpool had only one goal to show for their efforts at the break, the threat of many more was potent and it didnt take long for the tie to be settled.

The offside trap stopped working. The threaded passes beyond the centre-halves started to find their target.

Gerrard almost scored when he rounded the keeper Andres Vilnrotter but shot into the side netting. Instead, the youngster began the move which led to Owen's first of many this season.

A crunching tackle allowed Litmanen to launch an attack, he sent Owen clear and the finish was perfect.

Owen missed two more opportunities before claiming his second when Berger broke the increasingly suicidal offside trap. His hat-trick goal also come thanks to a Berger pass. By then, Hyypia had delighted his home crowd by blasting in a fourth after a McAllister corner wasnt properly cleared.

It was just the start Liverpool wanted to what could be another momentous season. You have to be brutally honest and say Liverpools pre-season friendlies offered stronger opposition than this, but take nothing away from the performance and ruthless manner in which a 5-0 win in Europe was With Gerrard playing an hour, Berger and Litmanen adding a creative edge to the midfield, and Owen finishing with aplomb, this game not only helped Liverpool reach their target, but offered some useful practice ahead of the Premiership season.

There will be tougher games to come in the Champions League, but when Liverpool enter the draw in two weeks, even the European Champions themselves will be hoping to avoid them.

Indeed, Liverpool next away trip in Europe will be to face Bayern Munich in the Super Cup. What odds the same pair meeting in more competitive action later this season?